diff --git a/apps/lang/english-us.lang b/apps/lang/english-us.lang
index b926b4e37e..618ee114fd 100644
--- a/apps/lang/english-us.lang
+++ b/apps/lang/english-us.lang
@@ -16027,3 +16027,17 @@
     *: ""
   </voice>
 </phrase>
+<phrase>
+  id: LANG_VOICED_DATE_FORMAT
+  desc: format string for how dates will be read back. Y == 4-digit year, A == month name, m == numeric month, d == numeric day. For example, "AdY" will read "January 21 2021"
+  user: core
+  <source>
+    *: "dAY"
+  </source>
+  <dest>
+    *: "AdY"
+  </dest>
+  <voice>
+    *: ""
+  </voice>
+</phrase>
diff --git a/apps/lang/english.lang b/apps/lang/english.lang
index 60cb17d245..dab9ed8508 100644
--- a/apps/lang/english.lang
+++ b/apps/lang/english.lang
@@ -16094,3 +16094,17 @@
     *: ""
   </voice>
 </phrase>
+<phrase>
+  id: LANG_VOICED_DATE_FORMAT
+  desc: format string for how dates will be read back. Y == 4-digit year, A == month name, m == numeric month, d == numeric day. For example, "AdY" will read "January 21 2021"
+  user: core
+  <source>
+    *: "dAY"
+  </source>
+  <dest>
+    *: "dAY"
+  </dest>
+  <voice>
+    *: ""
+  </voice>
+</phrase>
diff --git a/apps/talk.c b/apps/talk.c
index e627337162..e440dd98b5 100644
--- a/apps/talk.c
+++ b/apps/talk.c
@@ -1496,9 +1496,30 @@ void talk_setting(const void *global_settings_variable)
 
 void talk_date(const struct tm *tm, bool enqueue)
 {
-    talk_id(LANG_MONTH_JANUARY + tm->tm_mon, enqueue);
-    talk_number(tm->tm_mday, true);
-    talk_number(1900 + tm->tm_year, true);
+    const char *format = str(LANG_VOICED_DATE_FORMAT);
+    const char *ptr;
+
+    if (!enqueue)
+        talk_shutup(); /* cut off all the pending stuff */
+
+    for (ptr = format ; *ptr ; ptr++) {
+        switch(*ptr) {
+	case 'Y':
+            talk_number(1900 + tm->tm_year, true);
+            break;
+	case 'A':
+            talk_id(LANG_MONTH_JANUARY + tm->tm_mon, true);
+            break;
+	case 'm':
+            talk_number(tm->tm_mon + 1, true);
+            break;
+	case 'd':
+            talk_number(tm->tm_mday, true);
+            break;
+        default:
+            break;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void talk_time(const struct tm *tm, bool enqueue)